Here to help you

Please note, since Somerset changed to the “Stretched Entitlement” offer, your child is now allocated 570 hours per year. This is given the term after their 2nd ( check eligibility) or 3rd birthday. There is no longer a ’cap’ on the amount of hours you can claim in a term, but there are still other restrictions.

2 Year Old Funding

We are pleased to be able to offer 2 year old funded spaces.

Families with 2 year old children who meet the criteria below can apply for funding for 2 year olds. Somerset County Council will pay for a place for up to 570 hours over the year at a registered childcare provider. A maximum of 15 hours per week is available. Children become eligible in the funding period after their second birthday.(Extract taken from Somerset.gov.uk)

Am I entitled?

Families who receive any of the following are entitled to funding for 2 year olds:

3 & 4 Year Old Universal Funding

The 3 & 4 year old universal funding is available to ALL children the term after their 3rd birthday and continues until they start school. The 3 & 4 year old universal funding entitles you to 570 hours a year.

30 Hour Additional Funding

From September The Olive Tree Nursery will be offering the 30 hour additional funding!!

From September eligible families of 3 & 4 year old children will be able to access up to an additional 15 funded hours a week on top of their universal entitlement (see below)

Parents of three and four year olds will need to meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for the

30 hours funded childcare:

• They earn or expect to earn the equivalent to 16 hours at National Minimum or Living Wage

over the coming three months.

• This equates to £120 a week (or c.£6,000 a year) for each parent over 25 years old or

£112.80 a week (or c.£5,800 a year) for each parent between 21 and 24 years old.

• This applies whether you are in paid employment, self-employed or on zero hours contract.

• The parent (and their partner where applicable) should be seeking the free childcare to

enable them to work.

• Where one or both parents are on maternity, paternity, shared parental or adoption leave, or

if they are on statutory sick leave.

• Where one parent meets the income criteria and the other is unable to work because they

are disabled, have caring responsibilities or have been assessed as having limited capability

to work.

• Where a parent is in a ‘start-up period’ (i.e. they are newly self-employed) they do not need

to demonstrate that they meet the income criteria for 12 months.

• If a non-EEA national, the parent must have recourse to public funds.

You can find out more information on this and the goverments new Tax Free Childcare scheme by visiting Childcare Choices and answering a few simple questions. You can also register your interest and they will contact you when the schemes go live! otherwise pop in to The Olive Tree Nursery and we will be more than happy to help.

PLEASE NOTE

This funding is only available for 38 weeks of the year. If you wish to use this funding on an 'all year round' basis it will not equate to 30 hours a week. If you use these hours on an ' all year round' basis you will have 22 hours per week.